Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2017 March 22

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March 22

Meaning of "traves"

This word isn't covered in any dictionary I've consulted. At least, not with any meaning that seems relevant to the context in which I found it.

The sentence is: "The author's letters reveal his traves and a man dedicated to his individualism as much as to his craft".

It appears in a 1997 review in an Australian newspaper of Hunter S. Thompson's collected letters, Proud Highway: The Saga of a Desperate Southern Gentleman.

Wiktionary has it as the plural of the architectural term trave: a crossbeam, or a section formed by crossbeams.

Can anyone shed any light on this? Thanks. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 09:09, 22 March 2017 (UTC)

Travels? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.38.221.49 (talk) 09:42, 22 March 2017 (UTC)

Yes, I considered that typo, but it just doesn't seem likely in that sentence. Maybe I give the author too much credit. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 10:17, 22 March 2017 (UTC)

How about traces? The expression "reveal traces" does make sense, yet unnecessarily in this context, but you're supposed to know - whether this is so - better than me. HOTmag (talk) 10:46, 22 March 2017 (UTC)

Do you mean you don't think the author would have made a typo or you feel it doesn't fit well or something else? If the former, especially since this was in 1997 it seems easily possible the author wasn't even the one who made the typo. Nil Einne (talk) 12:54, 29 March 2017 (UTC)

Probably an abbreviated version of "travails", meaning exertion, perseverance, struggles. Akld guy (talk) 12:09, 22 March 2017 (UTC)

But why would a newspaper intentionally use an "abbreviated version" (of a barely longer word) that is otherwise unknown, introduces a new letter ("e"), and whose meaning is not obvious? A simple typo (missing "l") for "travels" seems much more likely, particularly given that Thompson is best known for writing about his travels. {The poster formerly known as 87.61.230.195} 94.12.80.28 (talk) 15:31, 22 March 2017 (UTC)

According to the article, "Hunter hitchhiked across the United States along U.S. Highway 40". The title of the book is "Proud Highway", so there could be a travel connection there. He travelled extensively and lived in three countries. 2A02:C7F:BE18:CF00:806B:F237:22E4:784A (talk) 15:23, 22 March 2017 (UTC)

• On reflection, taking all your comments into account, it does seem to be a typo for travels. I just found the expression "the letters reveal his travels" quite out of keeping with the rest of the article in its poverty of expression. I did give the reviewer too much credit. Thanks, all. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 19:01, 22 March 2017 (UTC)

... and 'c' is next to 'v' on the keyboard. Richard Avery (talk) 08:31, 23 March 2017 (UTC)

Resolved

If the author of that piece is still among the living, you could try asking him. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 09:42, 23 March 2017 (UTC)

How about "trades", meaning his former occupations? Akld guy (talk) 20:02, 23 March 2017 (UTC)

I don't think "journalist and writer" needed revealing – or were you thinking of "petty criminal and Hell's Angels hanger-on"? (The poster formerly known as 87.81.20.195} 94.12.80.28 (talk) 04:23, 24 March 2017 (UTC)

No, I was thinking he might have worked as a plumber or electrician or some other trade in his earlier life, which formed his outlook on life and thus the content of his letters. Akld guy (talk) 05:44, 24 March 2017 (UTC)